The numbers prove that email marketing still matters

As mobile devices have become enormously popular with consumers in recent years, companies have scrambled to adjust their marketing strategies accordingly. Because people these days are so constantly glued to their smartphones and tablets, it makes sense for businesses of all sizes to tailor their message to fit these devices. Building a brand has become all about apps, push-button notifications and mobile-optimized website.

Here's the thing, though. Adapting to a mobile-driven world doesn't necessarily have to mean abandoning all the tried-and-true strategies that companies used to rely on. There's a way to take the newfound mobile revolution and intermingle it with tactics that are already effective. For example: Some of today's smartest companies have realized that mobile fits nicely into place alongside a strong email marketing strategy.

Why email still matters Some people may think that because mobile devices have become so prominent, that means it's time to abandon the old-fashioned approach of sending people emails with marketing messages. Since other communication channels are in style now, it's time to adapt. But according to a recent report from eMarketer, it makes sense to keep spending on email, because people are frequently using their mobile technology to keep refreshing those inboxes.

The news source cited April 2014 polling from My.com, which found that nearly 75 percent of Internet users in the United States say they use mobile devices to check email. Android users were the most frequent email-checkers, making up 48 percent of the group, while iOS loyalists made up an additional 38 percent. Regardless of their phone brands or operating systems, though, the point is that everyone is checking their email.

How marketers can capitalize With email still such an omnipresent technology, it's pretty clear that companies need to be aware of this trend and make it a part of their marketing strategies. They still have room to improve in this area - eMarketer cited a June 2014 study by Ascend2, which found that about 33 percent of marketing professionals are still planning to do more with mobile-optimized emails.

In addition, a June 2014 report from Extole backed this up, asserting that email is still "the digital marketing workhorse" for its effectiveness with helping companies reach a large and wide-ranging group of consumers everywhere. The organization found that email helps companies with creating awareness (with 41 percent of recipients), acquisition (37 percent), conversion (42 percent) and retention (56 percent). No matter what their marketing goals may be, companies can get there faster with email.